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Thank GOD!!! No more stupid events at Tempe Town Toilet!!!! http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/tempe/articles/0624tr-quietlake0624Z10.html Heat takes toll on events, opens Town Lake calendar
Jessica Wanke Throughout the year, it's hard to find a weekend when Tempe Town Lake isn't abuzz with activity. One weekend it's being lapped by toned athletes competing in a triathlon, another it's surrounded by bands and teenage music fans, and yet another it's home to Oktoberfest revelers. Except for the summer. Since the lake was filled in 1999 it has become something of an indicator of when the heat of summer has truly arrived. The lake's event calendar from September through May is so booked up that the only way many new events can get in is if one of the annual events drops out. In the summer months, though, the schedule slows to almost a snail's pace. The sole lake event planned between now and September is the July Fourth Tempe Town Lake Festival. "After the temperature gets above 90 degrees it's just too uncomfortable for people to be outside, " Tempe Senior Recreation Coordinator Jeremy Boggs said. While the organizers of big commercial events may not be grabbing up the summer weekends, this is a prime block of time for smaller events, like corporate functions and family reunions, that are shorter and can be held in the early morning or evening hours. The Tempe Beach Park by the lake has a corporate picnic area, with 11 picnic tables, seven barbecue grills and a large grass area covered with shade trees. The area can accommodate up to 1,000 people and be reserved for a full day for $250. Another reason traffic slows during the summer months is the strange paradox of having a lake that you can't swim in. While people in the rest of the country are flocking to lakes in the summer, many residents of Tempe are staying away from theirs because swimming is prohibited in Tempe Town Lake. Boggs said the water quality in the lake is routinely tested, since there are many boaters who have some contact with the water, and the city has confirmed that, in regards to the water quality, it is safe to swim in. However, the lake does not have a supervised swim area. "I know there are people who want it, but unfortunately right now we're trying to figure out how we manage it and keep it safe for everybody," Boggs said. During triathlons and swimming races at the lake, the city takes out special insurance and dispatches the Fire Department to watch over swimmers. On non-race days, no swimming is allowed because there are no lifeguards. For the time being, there is a "splash playground" at Tempe Beach Park, which is part playground, part watering station, where children can play and stay cool. The splash playground is open through Sept. 24. Tempe Beach Park is at 80 W. Rio Salado Parkway. Tempe Town Lake information: (480) 350-8625 or www.tempe.gov/town_toilet
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